Spinning frame for producing composite yarns



July 30, 1968 J. RHYNE 3,394,541

SPINNING FRAME FOR PRODUCING COMPOSITE YARNS Filed May 1. 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A A 1 45 U z 42 21 Z52; 349 w i INVENTOR: J'QHMATHAN L. RHYME- ATTORNEY$ July 30, 1968 SPINNING J. RHYNE 3,394,541

FRAME FOR PRODUCING COMPOSITE YARNS Filed May 1, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fig-5 IV 4o Z6 i\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ l g. 4) 4 f, .z g=5 INVENTOR: 49 JOHNATHAN L. RHYME- A'lTORNEYs United States Patent 3,394,541 I SPINNING FRAME FOR PRODUCING COMPOSITE YARNS Johnathan L. Rhyne, Lincolnton, N .C., assignor of twenty percent each to Paul C. Rhyne, Jr., and Joseph M. Rhyne, both of Lincolnton, and Charles T. Stowe, Jr., Belmont, N.C.

Filed May 1, 1967, Ser. No. 635,134 7 Claims. (Cl. 57-91) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A spinning frame for forming a composite textile yarn having alternating sections of different characteristics, and wherein pairs of back drafting rolls having common axes of rotation are operable for selectively feeding two different types of roving being convergingly guided to comm-on front delivery rolls of the drafting system.

As set forth above, this invention relates to apparatus for producing composite textile yarn composed of alternating lengths of fibrous strands of roving having different characteristics in a textile spinning frame or the like.

Yarn produced on the apparatus of this invention is of the type set forth in my prior United States Patent No. 3,082,593, issued Mar. 26, 1963, and as therein defined comprises sectional lengths formed of fibrous strands having predetermined characteristics and other sectional lengths formed from fibrous strands having different characteristics. Yarn of this character may be used as the warp or filling or both for a woven fabric or as the yarn for a knitted fabric. By suitably choosing the different characteristics of the fibrous strands, a fabric may be produced which has a mottled or variable appearance either to the eye or the hand or both.

The different characteristics of the fibrous strands may be the natural characteristics of the material or materials of which the fibrous strands are constructed or may be induced characteristics. For example, natural characteristics would include dye aifinity, coarseness or fineness of fibers which would result in rough or smooth cover or hand, and light reflectability. Induced character istics would include color which is imparted to the fibrous strands before inclusion in the yarn, and size or length or both of the sectional lengths of the different fibrous strands.

For producing a composite textile yarn of this character, apparatus is required which will selectively feed separate fibrous strands either alternatively or simultaneously in a predetermined timed manner through a drafting means or zone to be converged into a composite strand and twisted into a composite yarn. Apparatus of this type which have been known before this invention have not proved entirely satisfactory inasmuch as they have included complicated and inaccessible mechanisms and have lacked the flexibility and ease of operation desired. These prior apparatus also do not lend themselves to simple modifications of conventional spinning frames or the like and, indeed, the spinning frames or the like require substantial redesign and modifications to include these prior apparatus for accomplishing the purposes described above.

Therefore, it is the object of this invention to provide an apparatus in a textile spinning frame or the like which will produce a composite textile yarn composed of alternating lengths of fibrous strands of roving having dilferent characteristics and which will provide ready accessibility for ease in maintenance, replacement of parts, operation, etc. of the apparatus and which may be utilized in conventional textile spinning frames or the like without substantial redesign or modification thereof.

It has been found by this invention that the above object may be accomplished by providing in a textile spinning frame or the like having a plurality of separate drafting means and a plurality of twisting means, apparatus including two pairs of upper and lower back drafting rolls disposed along common axes of rotation, including selective drive means therefor, and a single pair of upper and lower front drafting rolls in each of the drafting means. The two pairs of back drafting rolls are adapted to selectively feed separate fibrous strands to the single pair of front drafting rolls. The apparatus also includes means mounted between the front and back drafting rolls in each of the drafting means for convergingly combining the separate fibrous strands from the back drafting rolls to form a composite fibrous strand.

Further features of this invention will be understood from a consideration of the following more detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic and diagrammatic view illustrating a portion of a spinning frame or the like including the apparatus of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of a portion of the apparatus of FIGURE 1 illustrating one of the draft ing means therein and taken along the line 2--2 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged elevational view of a portion of the apparatus of FIGURE 1 illustrating two of the drafting means shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2 and illustrating the pairs of back drafting rolls in two of the drafting means; and

FIGURE 5 is a partial cross-sectional plan view of the bottom front and back drafting rolls utilized in the apparatus of this invention.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG- URE 1, there is shown therein schematically and diagrammatically a portion of a textile spinning frame, broadly indicated by the reference numeral 10. The textile spin ning frame 10 includes a plurality of roving supply means (not shown) supplying fibrous strands of roving, indicated by the reference characters A and B. The spinning frame 10 also includes a plurality of separate drafting means, broadly indicated at 11, and a plurality'of twisting means or spinning means, broadly indicated at 12.

The twisting means or spinning means 12 conventionally includes a spindle rail 13, spindles 14, a ring rail 15, spinning rings 16, travelers 17, whorls 18, and drive tapes 19. All of the above-described apparatus comprising the twisting or spinning means are conventional in a spinning frame and their operation, location and mounting therein are well understood by those with ordinary skill in the art and, therefore, will not be elaborated on herein.

The apparatus for producing composite textile yarn composed of alternating lengths of fibrous strands of roving having different characteristics includes two pairs of upper and lower back drafting rolls 25, 26 and 27, 28,

3 as illustrated in FIGURES 15, and a single pair of upper and lower front drafting rolls 29 and in each of the drafting means 11.

The two pairs of back drafting rolls 25, 26 and 27, 28 are adapted to receive the separate fibrous strands of roving A and B, respectively, therebetween and feed the separate strands to the single pair of front drafting rolls 29 and 30 through a means 31 mounted therebetween and adapted to receive the separate fibrous strands A and B from the two pairs of back drafting rolls for convergingly combining the separate fibrous strands A and B and for passing a single fibrous strand C to the single pair of front drafting rolls. The means 31 is preferably in the form of a hollow, converging Walled trumpet.

The lower back drafting rolls 26 and 28 in all of the drafting means 11 are carried-by a first rotatable shaft 35 suitably mounted in bearings on the conventional roll stands, schematically shown at 36 in FIGURE 1, of the spinning frame 10 to be located along a common axis of rotation. All of the lower back drafting rolls 26 are fixed by keys 49 on the shaft 35 to be rotated therewith and driven thereby. All of the lower back drafting rolls 28 are freely rotatably mounted on the shaft 35 by suitable bearings 41 for independent rotation relative to the shaft 35.

As may be seen in FIGURES 1, 3 and 4 particularly, the lower back drafting rolls 28 are constructed in integral pairs with a gear 42 therebetween and alternate with separate pairs of lower back drafting rolls 26. By this arrangement, fibrous strands of roving of like characteristics are fed to the back drafting rolls, in pairs, as indicated in FIGURES 1 and 3. This arrangement also facilitates the use of only one driving connection, to be described hereinafter, between each two drafting means 11 for driving the freely rotatable back drafting rolls 28.

For driving the freely rotatable lower back drafting rolls 28, there is provided a second driven shaft 45 also suitably rotatably mounted in roll stands 36 and having gears 46 thereon for mating with gears 42 to drive the lower back drafting rolls 28.

For driving the lower front drafting rolls 30, they are all fixedly mounted on a common driven shaft 49 suitably carried in bearings in roll stands 36 and driven from a continuous drive means, as shown schematically in FIG- URE 1.

As may be seen in the drawings and particularly in FIGURE 2, the shaft 45 and the gears 46 occupy the space in a conventional spinning frame normally occupied by a second lower back drafting roll which can be eliminated with the apparatus of this invention and, therefore, i

will not require any additional space in the spinning frame and would be readily accessible for maintenance and replacement. Also, as may be noted in the drawings, particularly in FIGURES 1, 3 and 5, the two pairs of back drafting rolls 25, 26 and 27, 28 are of a length corresponding substantially to the length of the single pair of front drafting rolls 29, 30 in each of the drafting means and, therefore, the two pairs of back drafting rolls of the apparatus of this invention may be easily substituted for the single pair of back drafting rolls normally utilized in a conventional spinning frame without requiring additional space and, therefore, will be readily accessible for maintenance, repairs, etc.

The upper back drafting rolls 25 and 27 and the upper front drafting rolls 29 are mounted for rotation, as in conventional spinning frames, by suitable shafts carried in saddles or cap bars 50 pivoted to the roll stands 36 by a shaft 51, as may be seen particularly in FIGURE 2. The front upper drafting rolls 29 are mounted on common shafts 52 which are freely rotatably carried in cap bars 50 by suitable bearings.

Upper back drafting rolls 25 and 27 are all carried on shafts 53 suitably freely rotatably mounted between cap bars 50. The upper back drafting rolls 27 are freely rotatably mounted on the shaft 53 by ball bearing means 54 for rotation relative thereto so that the upper back drafting rolls 25 and 27 may be individually rotated. As is conventional with drafting rolls, the upper drafting rolls are resting on the lower drafting rolls and are driven thereby.

For driving the shafts 35 and 45 to selectively control the operation of the two pairs of back drafting rolls in each of the drafting means, there is provided electromagnetic clutches, preferably electromagnetic clutches and brakes, schematically illustrated at 62 and 63 in FIG- URE 1, connected to one end of the shafts 35 and 45, respectively, and to a continuous drive means, schematically illustrated in FIGURE 1 at 65. Thus, by engagement or disengagement of the electromagnetic clutches 62 and 63, operation of the two pairs of back drafting rolls 25, 26 and 27, 28 may be alternatively or simultaneously controlled.

The clutches 62 and 63 may be selectively controlled by any suitable means and, as illustrated in the drawings, there is provided first and second electrical switches 70 and 71 which are suitably electrically connected to the clutches 62 and 63, as indicated schematically in FIGURE 1 by lines 72 and 73. The electrical switches 70 and 71 are suitably connected to any convenient electrical source, as indicated schematically by the line 74, and the clutches 62 and 63 are connected to ground, as indicated schematically by line 75.

The electrical switches 70 and 71 may be operated by any convenient means, and as illustrated schematically in FIGURE 1, may be operated by a pair of rotating cams 80 and 81 mounted on a shaft 82 and driven from the continuously operating drive means of the spinning frame. The cams 80 and 81 include any number of switch operating lands thereon for alternatively or simultaneously actuating the switches and 71 to cause engagement of the clutches 62 and 63 for driving the pairs of back drafting rolls in each drafting means. It is to be understood that a single cam could also be used.

In operation of the above-described apparatus, the fibrous strands of roving A and B having different characteristics are fed into each of the drafting means 11 from their respective sources of supply and are received between corresponding pairs of back drafting rolls 25, 26 and 27, 28. For example, as illustrated in the drawings, roving A is always received between back drafting rolls 25 and 26 and roving B is always received between back drafting rolls 27 and 28.

From the back drafting rolls 25, 26 and 27, 28, the fibrous strands of roving A and B are fed into and through the trumpet 31 wherein they are convergingly combined into a single fibrous strand C and fed to the pair of front drafting rolls 29 and 30. The speed of rotation of the back drafting rolls and the front drafting rolls is such that a draft of approximately four to six is obtained therebetween. From the front drafting rolls 29 and 30 the composite fibrous strand C is fed to the twisting or spinning means 12 to be twisted into yarn on the spindles 14.

In producing the composite textile yarn of this invention, it may be desired to feed the fibrous strands A and B simultaneously or feed one of the fibrous strands A or B to the front drafting rolls for a predetermined period of time and then stop the feed of that particular fibrous strand and start the feed of the other fibrous strand A or B having a different characteristic such that the composite strand C will have alternating lengths of different characteristics. This alternating feed arrangement may be accomplished by the above-described control means and selective drive means whereby the feed of one fibrous strand A or B may be automatically stopped and the feed of the other fibrous strand A or B automatically started.

Also, it may sometimes be desired to introduce a core yarn D into the drafting means for core spinning with the composite strand C and this may be accomplished in the conventional manner indicated in FIGURE 2.

When the feed of one fibrous strand A or B is stopped,

by stopping of one of the pairs of back drafting rolls 25-, 26 or 27, 28, the feed of the front drafting rolls 29, 30 continues. The distance between the single pair of front drafting rolls and the two pairs of back drafting rolls in each drafting means is greater than the staple length of fibers being utilized in the fibrous strands so that stopping of the pair of back drafting rolls will pinch the fibrous strand of roving therebetween and when the front drafting rolls continue feeding the portion of that particular fibrous strand which is passing therebetween it will cause a pulling apart or parting of the fibrous strand between the front and back drafting rolls. Also, the trumpet is preferably located a distance from the back drafting rolls less than the average staple length of fibers utilized in the fibrous strands to allow the pulling apart or parting of the fibrous strand to occur forwardly of the trumpet so that the parted end of the fibrous strand, as illustrated in FIGURE 5, will remain within the trumpet to be combined into the composite strand C upon again starting up of the inactive fibrous strand.

Preferably, the stopping of the feed of one fibrous strand occurs momentarily after the starting of the feed of the other fibrous strand so as to prevent a gap being formed in the composite strand C. Also, as may be readily seen from the disposition of the lands on the cams 81 and 82, the strands of fibrous roving A and B may be fed simultaneously to form a thicker or slub portion in the composite strand C which will also have a different characteristic. It is evident that any combination or variation in the alternative or simultaneous feed of strands A and B may be accomplished by merely varying the position of the respective control lands on cams 80 and 81.

Therefore, it will be apparent that by this invention, apparatus may be provided which can be used in a conventional textile spinning frame or the like and which will produce composite yarn having different characteristics from one sectional portion to the other by selectively feeding fibrous strands having different characteristics alternatively or simultaneously in a predetermined manner from the back drafting rolls to the front drafting rolls and convergingly combining the thus fed fibrous strands into a single composite yarn having alternating lengths of different characteristics. The apparatus for producing this type of a composite yarn may be utilized in conventional textile spinning frames or the like without substantial redesign or modification thereof and will provide ready accessibility for ease in maintenance, replacement of parts, operation, etc.

The present invention has been described in detail above for purposes of illustration only and is not intended to be limited by this description or otherwise except as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a textile spinning frame or the like having a plurality of separate drafting means comprising parrs of front and back drafting rolls and a plurality of twlsting means; the combination of apparatus for producing composite textile yarn from alternating lengths of fibrous strands of roving having different characteristics, said apparatus comprising:

(a) two pairs of upper and lower back drafting rolls and a single pair of upper and lower front drafting rolls in each of said drafting means, said two pairs of back drafting rolls being adapted to receive separate fibrous strands of roving of different characteristics therebetween and feed the separate strands to said single pair of front drafting rolls, each of said lower rolls of said two pairs of back drafting rolls being separately driven and mounted for independent rotation along a common axis of rotation each of said upper rolls of said two pairs of back drafting rolls being mounted for independent rotation along a common axis of rotation and resting on said lower back rolls and being driven thereby, whereby all of said upper and lower back drafting rolls are disposed along respective common axes for ease in maintenance, replacement, operation, etc. of said apparatus;

(b) means mounted between said pair of front drafting rolls and said two pairs of back drafting rolls in each of said drafting means for convergingly combining the separate fibrous strands from said two pairs of back rolls to form a composite fibrous strand; and

(0) means operatively connected to and selectively driving each of said two pairs of back drafting rolls for selectively feeding the fibrous strands in a predetermined manner from either of said pairs of back drafting rolls to said pair of front drafting rolls.

2. In a textile spinning frame; the combination as set forth in claim 1, in which said combining means comprises a converging walled hollow trumpet positioned closely adjacent said front drafting rolls and located from said two pairs of back drafting rolls a distance less than the average staple length of the fibers used in the fibrous strands of roving, whereby stopping of the feed of one fibrous strand from one pair of said back drafting rolls will cause a parting of the fibrous strand between said trumpet and said front drafting rolls.

3. In a textile spinning frame; the combination, as set forth in claim 1, in which said two pairs of back drafting rolls are of a length corresponding substantially to the length of said single pair of front drafting rolls in each of said drafting means, whereby a conventional spinning frame may be easily modified by substituting two pairs of back drafting rolls for the conventional single pair having a length equal to said front pair of drafting rolls.

4. In a textile spinning frame; the combination as set forth in claim 1, including a first rotatable shaft means forming a part of said selective drive means and carrying all of said lower back drafting rolls in all of said drafting means, one of said lower back drafting rolls in each of said drafting means being fixed for driven rotation on said first shaft means, the other of said lower back drafting rolls in each of said drafting means being freely rotatably mounted on said first shaft means for independent rotation relative thereto, a second rotatable shaft means forming a part of said selective drive means and being operatively connected to the other of said lower back drafting rolls in each of said drafting means for driving same, whereby corresponding pairs of back drafting rolls in each of said drafting means will be driven and operated in like manner by the same means for producing like composite yarns through each of said drafting means.

5. In a textile spinning frame; the combination as set forth in claim 4, in which said second shaft means is disposed in said spinning frame in the space normally occupied by an additional lower back drafting roll in a conventional spinning frame, whereby a conventional spinning frame may be easily modified to include said second shaft means without requiring additional space therefor.

'6. In a textile spinning frame; the combination, as set forth in claim 4, in which all of said other lower back drafting rolls being driven by said second shaft means are constructed in integral pairs alternating with pairs of said one back drafting rolls along said first shaft means and include a gear means between each integral pair, and in which said second shaft means includes gear means thereon mating with said gear means between each integral pair for driving same, whereby a driving connection between said second shaft means and said other lower back drafting rolls is only required for every two drafting means.

7. In a textile spinning frame; the combination, as set forth in claim 4, in which said selective drive means further comprise a continuously operating drive means, a first electromagnetic clutch means operatively connected between said continuous drive means and said first shaft means, a second electromagnetic clutch means operatively connected between said continuous drive means and said second shaft means, and a control means comprising cam means and electrical switch means operatively associated with said cam means and said first and second clutch means and adapted to be operated by said cam means to engage and disengage said first and second clutch means in a predetermined manner for selectively driving said pairs of back drafting rolls in each of said drafting means.

320,344 6/1885 Fuyat et al 57-91 XR 2,189,938 2/1940 Bussiere 57-91 XR 3,148,416 9/1964 Hornbuckle 57-91 XR 3,176,351 4/1965 Keen 57-9l XR JOHN PETRAKES, Primary Examiner. 

